Facsimile recorder and moving electrode therefor

ABSTRACT

A facsimile recorder marks a paper impregnated with electrolyte and a lake former by migration of ions from an endless loop metal electrode to the paper when electrical current is passed from the electrode to a cooperative electrode through the recording paper pressed therebetween. The loop electrode is fed through a track which holds a portion of it straight where it opposes the cooperative electrode, and has a coating of fine molybdenumcontaining material bonded to its surface to prevent the accumulation and adhesion of lake on the loop electrode which would impede free feed of the loop electrode through the track.

United States Patent Simpkins [54] FACSIMILE RECORDER AND MOVING ELECTRODE THEREFOR [72] Inventor: Frederick W. Simpkins, l-lusdon,

Mass.

[73] Assignee: Alden Research Foundation 1 [22] Filed: March 30, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 129,518

52 us. c1 ..346/74 E, 204/290 R 51 1m. 01. ..G0ld 15/06, BOlk 3/04 [58] Field of Search ..346/74 E; 204/290 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,417,405 12/1968 2,346,675 4/1944 Hackenberg'et al. ..204/290 R Alden ..346/74 E" 1451 Oct. 31, 1972 Primary Examiner-Howard W. Britton Assistant Examiner-Gary M. Hoffman Attorney-James H. Grover [57] ABSTRACT A facsimile recorder marks a paper impregnated with electrolyte and a lake former by migration of ions from an endless loop metal electrode to the paper when electrical current is passed from the electrode to a cooperative electrode through the recording paper pressed therebetween. The loop electrode is fed through a track which holds a portion of it straight where it opposes the cooperative electrode, and has a coating of fine molybdenum-containing material bonded to its surface to prevent the accumulation and adhesion of lake on the loop electrode which would impede free feed of the loop electrode through the track..

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I One widely used electrolytic facsimile recorder comprises'an elongate metallic blade electrodepressing on one side of a moving sheet of moist paper impregnated with electrolyte and a lake former. Pressing on the opposite sideof the paper is a second electrode helically' curved around a rotating drum such that the pressure point against theblade. electrodesweeps along the bladeonce, each revolution of the'drum. Simultaneously electrical signal current is passed from the blade to the helix causing migration of metal ions from one edge of the blade to the paper and formation of .a; colored lake with the paper impregnant. Migration of metal ions from a stationary blade unevenly erodes the bladeand results in uneven density of lake forming across the paper. Therefor it is highly desirable to feed the blades slowly and continuously lengthwise to prevent unevenerosion. Preferably the blade electrode is in the form of an endless loop guided in tracks on a straight path'where it opposes the helical electrode.

However, the colored lake formed at the edge of the loop pressing on the paper accumulates on the blade during recording and adheres to the blade to the extent that it jams in the guide tracks subjecting the blade to uneven erosion. p

The object of the present invention is to prevent the accumulation and adhesion of lake on the blade electrode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention facsimile apparatus for recording on electrolyte and lake former: impregnated paper comprises an endless loop electrode of flexible metal, guide means engaging the loop electrode to hold a portion thereof on a linear path, means to feed the loop electrode through the linear path, a second electrode opposed tothe linear portion of the loop electrode cooperating with the loop electrode when electrical current is passed between the electrodes through the paper to mark signals on electrosensitive paper pressed between the two electrodes by migration of metal ions from the loop electrode to form a lake with the electrolytic impregnation on the paper and on the edge of the loop electrode pressing against the paper, said loop electrode having a coating containing molybdenum bonded to the surface of the electrode for preventing the accumulation and adhesion of said lake to the loop electrode and allowing continued feed of the loop electrode through the guide means.

pRAwrNos For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an endless loop electrode facsimile recorder; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION closed in Pat. No. 3,4095 I6. The paper slowly fed between a loop electrode 1 and a helical electrode 2 secured around a drum 3. The drum is rotated at several hundred revolutions per minute by a motor Ml paper to form a colored lake. Most of the lake is retained in the paper,but after several hours of operation an accumulation of lake, paperflbers and other electrolytic recording by-products builds up'at 'and above the recording edge of the blade electrode. v I

The endless loop electrode 1 is inserted in a. guide track formedby the flange 5 of a mounting plate 7 and an opposed guide rail 8 secured to the flange -5. Op-

' posite the helical electrode 2 the loop electrode is held straight and rather snugly by the guide track along the effective recording portion of the loop. At both ends the guide rail 8 curves around the path of the loop electrode, the left end being broken away to show two sprocket wheels 9 and 11 coupled by a sprocket chain. The smaller wheel 9 is driven by a low speed motor M2. The larger wheel 11 has teeth 13 engaging in sprocket holes 14' in the loop and driving the loop through the guide track at a barely perceptible speed. It is between the guides 5 and 8 that an accumulation and adhesion of lake and other recording by-products on the loop electrode, or scraped from the loop electrode, causes jamming and arrest of the loop electrode.

To avoid such accumulation or adhesion on'the loop electrode a thin film of finely divided molybdenum, e.g. disulfide, particles is bonded to the surface of the loop electrode by a thermosetting, ceramic bonding agent. An example of suchis available under the trademark Electrofilm 4396 from Electrofilm Inc., 7116 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood, California. This film is conventionally used as a solid lubricant to. reduce metal to metal friction rather than as an antiadhesion agent for preventing the accumulation and adhesion of lakes and other electrolytic recording by-products such as paper fibers, and has a composition by weight of approximately percent molybdenum disulfide and 10 percent graphite in a thermosetting resin modified with an elasticizer. Other conventional lubricants donot have the antiadhesion property of this molybdenum film. Moreover, if the molybdenum film is applied to the guide track in its usual use as a lubricant, the sprocket holes 14 of the loop electrode 1 chew it off and destroy its lubricating effect.

Theloop electrode is first degreased and then sand blasted or otherwise etched. The mixture of molybdenum and bonding agent in a suitable solvent is dip coated or sprayed on the loop to a thickness of 0.00025 to 0.005 of an inch, and cured by thermosetting at 375 F for one and one half hours.

It has been found that such a coating on the loop electrode substantially reduces adhesion of lake and recording by-products on the loop electrode despite the expected accumulation. In over eighty hours of operation, equivalent to several weeks of normal daily recording use of such a blade, jamming in the guide track was completely eliminated.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. Facsimile apparatus for recording on electrolyte and lake former impregnated paper comprising:

an elongate stripe electrode of flexible metal,

guide means engaging the loop electrode to hold a portion thereof on a linear path,

means to feed the loop electrode lengthwise through the guides means on the linear path,

a second electrode opposed to the linear portion of the loop electrode cooperating with theloop electrode when electrical current is passed between the electrodesthrough the paper to mark signals on electrosensitive paper pressed between the two electrodes by migration of metal ions from the loop electrode to form a lake' with the electrolytic impregnation on the paper and on the edge of the loop electrode pressing against the paper,

said loop electrode having a coating containing a solid lubricant molybdenum compound of the group characterized by having antiadhesive properties bonded to the surface of the electrode for preventing the accumulation and adhesion of said lake on the loop electrode and allowing continued feed of the loop electrode through the guide means.

2. A moving electrode for electrolytic formation of a lake on an electrolyte and lake former impregnated recording web across which the electrode is fed through a guide track, comprising an elongate strip of flexible metal capable of electrolytic release of metal ions to form a lake on the paper at one edge of the electrode, said strip having a thin coating containing in its place bonded to the surface of the electrode inhibiting the accumulation and adhesion of the lake on the electrode whereby to allow free continued feed of the electrode through the guide track.

'3. A moving electrode according to claim 2 wherein said metal is stainless steel.

4. A moving electrode according to claim 2 wherein said coating contains molybdenum disulfide. 

1. Facsimile apparatus for recording on electrolyte and lake former impregnated paper comprising: an elongate stripe electrodE of flexible metal, guide means engaging the loop electrode to hold a portion thereof on a linear path, means to feed the loop electrode lengthwise through the guides means on the linear path, a second electrode opposed to the linear portion of the loop electrode cooperating with the loop electrode when electrical current is passed between the electrodes through the paper to mark signals on electrosensitive paper pressed between the two electrodes by migration of metal ions from the loop electrode to form a lake with the electrolytic impregnation on the paper and on the edge of the loop electrode pressing against the paper, said loop electrode having a coating containing a solid lubricant molybdenum compound of the group characterized by having antiadhesive properties bonded to the surface of the electrode for preventing the accumulation and adhesion of said lake on the loop electrode and allowing continued feed of the loop electrode through the guide means.
 2. A moving electrode for electrolytic formation of a lake on an electrolyte and lake former impregnated recording web across which the electrode is fed through a guide track, comprising an elongate strip of flexible metal capable of electrolytic release of metal ions to form a lake on the paper at one edge of the electrode, said strip having a thin coating containing in its place bonded to the surface of the electrode inhibiting the accumulation and adhesion of the lake on the electrode whereby to allow free continued feed of the electrode through the guide track.
 3. A moving electrode according to claim 2 wherein said metal is stainless steel.
 4. A moving electrode according to claim 2 wherein said coating contains molybdenum disulfide. 